SPORTSBIZ -- KEVIN KLEPS

Words fail Jimmy Haslam

At least seven companies have filed lawsuits against Haslam's company, Pilot Flying J, in the last month because of an alleged fuel-rebate fraud.

Wednesday, the heat was turned up even more when it was announced former FBI director Louis Freeh will be handling the investigation for Atlantic Coast Carriers and any other businesses that join the Hazlehurst, Ga. company's class-action lawsuit.

Not long after Brandon Weeden told reporters in Berea he wants “to be the guy (as if we expected him to say anything else),” the team signed a player their GM has praised in the past.

Working for the NFL Network, Lombardi in 2011 had this to say about Hoyer: “I think Brian Hoyer and (Patriots backup) Ryan Mallett are starters. I've said this many times: If I would have taken the GM job of the 49ers, I would have gone after Brian Hoyer, because I think he has all the traits and characteristics. If I were the Cleveland Browns, I'd rather have Brian Hoyer behind center than Colt McCoy. I think he's got all the traits you need, in terms of leadership, toughness, the arm strength, the ability to move the team.”

Is he Weeden's backup? Will he be in competition for a starting job? What about Jason Campbell?

Maybe Lombardi is employing the Bill Belichick “You Can Never Have Enough Depth” philosophy to the most important position in sports.

Or maybe he really doesn't like Weeden, as he implied in his past life as a member of the media. It's an opinion Lombardi has had numerous chances to say has been modified since he was hired by the Browns, only he's danced around the subject.

Now he has brought in a QB who has “all the traits and characteristics” to be good in the NFL.

If Lombardi is right about Hoyer, the opinion of him in town will change more rapidly than the fans' once-sunny thoughts about Mike Holmgren.

If Weeden fails, and the backups are just as bad, Lombardi has set himself up for more criticism — and another tired round of “Which quarterback should the Browns draft in the first round this year?”

Cavs fans can win big

Dan Gilbert gets it.

The Cavs owner is taking connecting with fans to a new level, with a Twitter contest in which he will select two winners — who will get to fly with him to New York for the NBA draft lottery on Tuesday.

He will announce details on how to enter at noon, and two fans will join Gilbert, his son, Nick, play-by-play announcer Fred McLeod, rapper and Cleveland native Machine Gun Kelly and WKNR-AM, 850 host Tony Rizzo on Gilbert's private jet.

What a cool idea.

And how did Rizzo get included on this trip?

To borrow his favorite phrase: It's good to be alive.

You can follow me on Twitter for sports information and analysis, but not tales of travels with Machine Gun Kelly.

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